A woman (left) brandishes a knife as she watches a fistfight which took place in broad daylight off the Antrim Road; above, bloodstains from a knife attack near the scene of the fistfight; right, an empty packet of diazepam, evidence of the dealing in prescription and illegal drugs in the area

By Evan Short

A DRUG dealing gang who are behind a crime surge at a North Belfast social housing complex are carrying knives openly and making life a living hell for residents.

CCTV footage obtained by the North Belfast News shows a woman standing with a large kitchen knife as she watches two men fighting each other in broad daylight at Antrim Close near Fortwilliam earlier this week.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a resident said he didn’t know how the gang have been allowed to get away with their actions for so long.
“They smash windows, they fight in the street, they carry weapons and they deal drugs openly and nothing is being done about it,” he said.
“Ordinary families are living in fear of them because they do what they want and have no fear of anyone.”

The latest incident happened on Tuesday night when two men fought at the front of the flats complex.

CCTV footage shows one man savagely beat another man as a woman stands by watching, a large kitchen knife in her hand.
Other incidents include the foyer of the apartments being covered in blood after a separate stabbing incident and empty boxes of diazepam lefty lying around green areas where children play.

Antrim Close was built on the site of the former Milk Marketing Board HQ with the old office block turned into apartments and a large number of social housing units built around the site.

“If you had kids you wouldn’t want them seeing this,” said the resident. “It’s frightening. How would you even go to separate two men fighting when someone is standing there with a kitchen knife ready to use it?”

The North Belfast News contacted the PSNI who said they had responded to the incident.
“Shortly after 8.30pm on Tuesday 24th May, police received a report of an altercation in the Antrim Close area of Belfast. Prior to police arrival those involved had left the scene.”

The North Belfast News contacted Choice Housing but no response had been received at time of going to press.